Mascarpone originated around 1600 in Lombardy of North Italy
Southwest
of Milan. Some say the name came from "mas que bueno" (Spanish for
"more
than good") when the Spanish ruled Italy. It is made from
light
cream
(~25% butterfat) which has been heated and thickened by the addition
of
tartaric
acid
to product a rich creamy product which is spreadable. By the way, as
we heard it pronounced in Italy, a
friend of Italian descent urged me to point out that the correct
Italian pronunciation is "mahs-car-PO-nay."

I have learned with the assistance of readers of these pages, that
tartaric acid is found in the sediment of fermented wine along with
settled yeast. The word tartar may come from the
Arabic word durd meaning dregs. It was also possibly
harvested off the sides of wine
kegs, formed as an encrustation.

Mascarpone can be used alone or with sugar added. Perhaps it
is
most famous as an ingredient in tiramisu, the Italian
"rocket
fuel" coffee-flavored cake. It is often used in
place of butter to thicken and enrich rissoti.

11) The next morning,
the
mixture will have further thickened, with traces of whey
separating out
from the creamy mass.

3) Add to the heavy
whipping cream (35% butterfat) in the double boiler.

Heat gently to 185 F (85 C).

12) Place a sterile
handkerchief in a strainer over a
bowl.

(Sterilize the handkerchief by boiling and hanging it to dry
in the
sun.)

4) Meanwhile, dissolve
acid crystals
in 2 tablespoons of fresh water:

either :
1/4th tsp of tartaric acid
or (as here):
1/2 tsp Acid Blend from L.D.
Carlson
* See below for use of lemon juice.

13) Transfer the
mixture
into the sterile handkerchief.

5) Continue to heat the
cream until it is 85 C.

14) Draw together the
four
corners of the cloth, use a heavy rubberband to tie the
corners
securely to gether.

6) Stir the dissolved
acid
into the 85 C cream with thorough stirring. You should
notice
that the cream thickens slightly almost immediately.

15) Suspend the product
in
the refrigerator overnight to drain thoroughly.

7) Be sure the mixture
is
thoroughly mixed.

16) The next day,
remove
the assembly from the fridge and open the cloth.

8) Cover and hold the
temperature at
85 C for five minutes, with occassional stirring.

17) Here is what the
finished mascarpone looks like. You are allowed to
take a
taste... YUM.

9) After five minutes,
the
mixture will have thickened somewhat.

18) Place in a
container
which seals tightly. Use immediately for optimum
flavor, but it
may be stored in the fridge for up to a week or two.

* I have received an email from Fil and Pat in
Quebec
which reports that mascarpone was originally made with lemon
juice. I
now doubt the authenticity of this, but have wondered
where
ancient Italians would have gotten tartaric acid... (See intro
above.)
I have calculated that 1/4 teaspoonful of tartaric acid should
be
equivalent to approximately 2 tablespoonfuls (30 mL) of lemon
juice.
Fil and Pat (and others) report back that 2 Tbl in a quart of
18% butterfat cream
made perfect mascarpone! Yea.